Playing a Round of Golf Solo

[14ledo81]

7 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

Umm, they lose. ;)

True.  But they would also possibly be taking a place from someone deserving.

[Valleygolfer]

On 5/18/2016 at 5:11 PM, Missouri Swede said:

 but I can't resist: A pair of guys once let me play through, explaining that they were a little slow because they were playing a bottle a hole. They were just making the turn to start the back 9. 

It is cool to be blitzed and play with someone else to be able to post a score?

20 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Are there any other parts of the rule book you intentionally disregard?  Is it like speeding, its OK as long as you don't get caught?

Speed limits are merely a suggestion... but you never speed, right @DaveP043?

 

What if you are playing with someone who really doesn't know the rules? My gf doesn't know most of these rules and if I took and extra shot or dropped a ball instead of going back to the tee, she wouldn't say boo.

 

I play solo all the time 90% or better. I established a handicap to maintain focus on golf course and keep myself from goofing off (practicing etc...) during a round. I put out more focus during the round when I know it is going to count. This is going to affect my enjoyment of golf plain and simple. I play by the rules 99% of the time when I play by myself, sans an occasional short gimme (shorter than the balls that get smacked away when I play rounds with others), probably less than 15" and leaving the flag in. I am okay with it as long as I am not getting any noticeable advantage. I am tougher on myself than anyone else could be, I don't cut myself any slack and if I thought I did, I would more than likely go back and ding myself because I had an inkling of bending the outcome. Now I have a round where it is just a practice round, it is just not the same. I might as well just quit posting to USGA and stick with my game golf handicap and my occasional nassau partners will have to take it or leave it.

I get it that it is the way it is. I hope I can just get past the fact that the solo rounds no longer count and still play a focused round solo. I really don't want every solo round to to be a "practice round".

Edited May 20, 2016 by Valleygolfer

[mcanadiens]

40 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

I get it that it is the way it is. I hope I can just get past the fact that the solo rounds no longer count and still play a focused round solo. I really don't want every solo round to to be a "practice round".

Actually the more I think about it, the more I like it.

Posting honest scores every round is difficult. Nobody is around me and I'm sweating over whether I'm on stroke three or stroke four after fouling one into a water hazard. As I pull the driver out on the next tee, I'm cussing myself out about the three-putt on the previous hole. The heck with that. 

Can't wait to go out by myself with no score card and swing for the fences. Wish there was a way I could do it today before my round tomorrow, with actual people, that will count.

 

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, Valleygolfer said:

What if you are playing with someone who really doesn't know the rules? My gf doesn't know most of these rules and if I took and extra shot or dropped a ball instead of going back to the tee, she wouldn't say boo.

They can be just a casual observer, so I suggest you pick up a homeless person on the way to the course and have him drive the cart.

[Patch]

3 minutes ago, Lihu said:

They can be just a casual observer, so I suggest you pick up a homeless person on the way to the course and have him drive the cart.

Just hope you are not at a course that also charges for a non-golfer, or requires the non-golfer to have clubs. Seen both of those scenarios a few times. 

[Lihu]

2 minutes ago, Patch said:

Just hope you are not at a course that also charges for a non-golfer, or requires the non-golfer to have clubs. Seen both of those scenarios a few times. 

Bring an extra set of junky old clubs, and consider paying for two simply part of the inconvenience to play "solo" rounds?

 

[Elmer]

I love how we are willing to break the speed limit, cheat on our wives, show up to work 5 minutes late and lie, tell our boss we are working on a report when we are typing on TST, cheat on our taxes,
But post a solo round to my GHIN/Handicap and there is a special place in Hell for me!

[newtogolf]

9 minutes ago, Elmer said:

I love how we are willing to break the speed limit, cheat on our wives, show up to work 5 minutes late and lie, tell our boss we are working on a report when we are typing on TST, cheat on our taxes,
But post a solo round to my GHIN/Handicap and there is a special place in Hell for me!

People justify their behavior all the time, whether it be speeding, infidelity, cheating on taxes, food wedges or posting solo rounds for handicap purposes.  

Ultimately if one accepts that they are knowingly breaking a trust, law or rule and will accept whatever punishment is levied as a result then I have no real issue since I'm not perfect either.  

What I don't support is someone deciding what laws or rules should or shouldn't apply and then making excuses as to why they are "justified" in breaking such laws or rules and refusing to accept the punishment that comes with the violation.  

Posting solo rounds is no different than using a food wedge or mulligans according to the Rules of Golf, no matter how much justification is provided. 

[Valleygolfer]

1 hour ago, mcanadiens said:

Actually the more I think about it, the more I like it.

Posting honest scores every round is difficult. Nobody is around me and I'm sweating over whether I'm on stroke three or stroke four after fouling one into a water hazard. As I pull the driver out on the next tee, I'm cussing myself out about the three-putt on the previous hole. The heck with that. 

Can't wait to go out by myself with no score card and swing for the fences. Wish there was a way I could do it today before my round tomorrow, with actual people, that will count.

 

None of this sounds appealing to me. Why is it difficult? It is what it is. Truth be told, I have a had time swallowing and hole or round initially but after it is over and I let it sink in, and the embarrassment wears off,  I am fine with it. Plus you can swing for the fences anytime. What is stopping you?

12 minutes ago, Elmer said:

I love how we are willing to break the speed limit, cheat on our wives, show up to work 5 minutes late and lie, tell our boss we are working on a report when we are typing on TST, cheat on our taxes,
But post a solo round to my GHIN/Handicap and there is a special place in Hell for me!

I never said I would lie...

[mcanadiens]

1 minute ago, Valleygolfer said:

None of this sounds appealing to me. Why is it difficult? It is what it is. Truth be told, I have a had time swallowing and hole or round initially but after it is over and I let it sink in, and the embarrassment wears off,  I am fine with it. Plus you can swing for the fences anytime. What is stopping you?

Having to put that score in and making it part of the official record has made me too tight. Call it a personal issue of mine that I don't put it in a more proper perspective.

Now that I literally can't score the round, nothing is stopping me. At least, nothing is stopping me when I play alone.

[iacas]

2 hours ago, Valleygolfer said:

I play solo all the time 90% or better. I established a handicap to maintain focus on golf course and keep myself from goofing off (practicing etc...) during a round. I put out more focus during the round when I know it is going to count. This is going to affect my enjoyment of golf plain and simple. I play by the rules 99% of the time when I play by myself, sans an occasional short gimme (shorter than the balls that get smacked away when I play rounds with others), probably less than 15" and leaving the flag in. I am okay with it as long as I am not getting any noticeable advantage. I am tougher on myself than anyone else could be, I don't cut myself any slack and if I thought I did, I would more than likely go back and ding myself because I had an inkling of bending the outcome. Now I have a round where it is just a practice round, it is just not the same. I might as well just quit posting to USGA and stick with my game golf handicap and my occasional nassau partners will have to take it or leave it.

The bold makes no sense to me.

It can still "count," just not for your handicap. If you play 90% of your rounds solo (or more!?), then keep your handicap in a spreadsheet.

People are not seeing the bigger picture here. I really think this has a lot to do with the world handicap system coming down the tubes. I haven't seen any of the guys from Europe or Australia bitching about this change.

28 minutes ago, Elmer said:

I love how we are willing to break the speed limit, cheat on our wives, show up to work 5 minutes late and lie, tell our boss we are working on a report when we are typing on TST, cheat on our taxes,
But post a solo round to my GHIN/Handicap and there is a special place in Hell for me!

I don't cheat on my wife, I don't show up to work late (quite the opposite), and I don't cheat on my taxes…

And it's not really about those things, because I'm sure I've gone two or three MPH over a speed limit within the past week (but I do make ample use of cruise control, and monitor my speed on both GPS and my car's speedometer) - it's the justifications people are throwing out there that irk. You don't get to decide something is stupid and ignore it. It's still a rule, and violating it still makes you a cheater, just the same as it makes me someone who occasionally speeds by three MPH. I'm not on here saying how I think speed limits are unnecessarily affecting my ability to enjoy driving my car and flaunting my "rebel fast driver" status.

[Grumpter]

2 hours ago, Valleygolfer said:

Now I have a round where it is just a practice round, it is just not the same. I might as well just quit posting to USGA and stick with my game golf handicap and my occasional nassau partners will have to take it or leave it.

I get it that it is the way it is. I hope I can just get past the fact that the solo rounds no longer count and still play a focused round solo. I really don't want every solo round to to be a "practice round".

I think you should continue to thumb your nose at the USGA and perhaps anyone that thinks you are not playing golf. You are playing the exact same game you were last year and the years before it. It's as silly as people trying to argue that golf is not a sport. If they look down their nose at it that says something to me.

I have gone a different route by not playing nearly as many solo rounds. I had to go out of my way to get the rounds in but I enjoyed it..... when I was able to post the scores. Now that I can't there is that much less time and money spent on golfing. It's a shame you are mostly forced to join the handicap system if you want to play in a league. In my area there are no decent courses in my range that have leagues without signing you up for a handicap.

[Lihu]

I don't understand the resistance to this new rule? Just play the normal way your were and only post the scores where you are playing with other people. What's difficult or bad about that? If anything I would expect most peoples handicaps to go down as they are playing a lot more "practice" rounds.

Ironically, about two years ago I was admonished on this site for playing lots of rounds I didn't post. Many thought it was because I was vanity capping or the opposite. Truth be told that the rounds I didn't post were mostly solo rounds. The reason I didn't post is because I didn't feel that comfortable with all the ROG and the Shot Zone theory and all the other stuff I was learning at the same time. So, I simply didn't post any of my solo rounds and even a few rounds with other players.

This new rule has not changed anything in the way I played and posted.

I don't see why it should affect anyone else here either? I've read all the complaints and many of then range from it being an inconvenience all the way to wild eyed ranting.

Just play golf the way you always did, and post only scores that you play with someone present. Your handicap will go up and down slower, that's pretty much all I can see?

[Valleygolfer]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

The bold makes no sense to me.

It can still "count," just not for your handicap. If you play 90% of your rounds solo (or more!?), then keep your handicap in a spreadsheet.

People are not seeing the bigger picture here. I really think this has a lot to do with the world handicap system coming down the tubes. I haven't seen any of the guys from Europe or Australia bitching about this change.

 

I can keep the handicap with GG or the multitude of other options out there. It is just that since I started keeping a USGA cap, which is the be all of tournament and local Nassaus, I have used it as my way of putting importance on a round. Knowing a round "counts," keeps me grinding. If I know it is just a "practice" round and I have a couple bad holes, I have a tendency to relax my focus. I really don't want to feel that way plus I always believed a round should be recorded regardless of score. I know the same handicap number could come out in the wash in the end but I still like the idea something it on the line. Rather than, "oh well this round doesn't count anyway." I will be fine but I like my own pressure the way it is.

[Elmer]

32 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

People justify their behavior all the time, whether it be speeding, infidelity, cheating on taxes, food wedges or posting solo rounds for handicap purposes.  

Ultimately if one accepts that they are knowingly breaking a trust, law or rule and will accept whatever punishment is levied as a result then I have no real issue since I'm not perfect either.  

What I don't support is someone deciding what laws or rules should or shouldn't apply and then making excuses as to why they are "justified" in breaking such laws or rules and refusing to accept the punishment that comes with the violation.  

Posting solo rounds is no different than using a food wedge or mulligans according to the Rules of Golf, no matter how much justification is provided. 

here is where I disagree with you. If I use a foot wedge to kick my ball out from under a tree or to improve my lie I am doing something to effect my score.
Playing a solo round and not being able to turn in the score effects the entire score by throwing it out as it says I am not trust worthy enough to turn in a score.

5 minutes ago, iacas said:

The bold makes no sense to me.

It can still "count," just not for your handicap. If you play 90% of your rounds solo (or more!?), then keep your handicap in a spreadsheet.

People are not seeing the bigger picture here. I really think this has a lot to do with the world handicap system coming down the tubes. I haven't seen any of the guys from Europe or Australia bitching about this change.

I don't cheat on my wife, I don't show up to work late (quite the opposite), and I don't cheat on my taxes…

And it's not really about those things, because I'm sure I've gone two or three MPH over a speed limit within the past week (but I do make ample use of cruise control, and monitor my speed on both GPS and my car's speedometer) - it's the justifications people are throwing out there that irk. You don't get to decide something is stupid and ignore it. It's still a rule, and violating it still makes you a cheater, just the same as it makes me someone who occasionally speeds by three MPH. I'm not on here saying how I think speed limits are unnecessarily affecting my ability to enjoy driving my car and flaunting my "rebel fast driver" status.

So you admit to being a speeder!!!!
The USGA made this rule to govern those who compete. However in doing so it now affects us weekend warriors.
Here is why I am disobediant to the solo rule:
I have pay to maintain a GHIN handicap, Part of this is because I like to keep my stats, puts, gir, fairways, driving distance, etc....
after entering all this information into the GHIN it gives me a handicap.
Since I pay money to play golf, and pay money for the GHIN, who is the USGA to tell me that at the end of the day I am not a 16 handicap because I played solo and it does not count.
You want to argue that my handicap is invalid when I enter a competition, fine.
But would the USGA rather I sit at home and average my own solo rounds and maintain them separately from my group rounds, because at the end of the day the only people who care about my handicap is my beer buddies on the course when we make a pre round bet!

Of course I wonder how many "strict rules" golfers have ever ran through a stop sign or red light to make their T-time??? (just thought that was a funny visual)

[Dinoma]

Having only kept a CONGU handicap, I'm a little surprised by the rage that these changes have generates. 95% of my rounds are not valid to be counted for my handicap, only competition rounds count. Regardless of its its right or wrong, it works fine. After all surely the only time a handicap matters is in competition so why not use those rounds as the guide for handicap.

Personally I think people get wound up between the 'official' handicap and what they keep as a vanity handicap. My tournament handicap is 3 shots lower than my GG handicap, but what does that matter. One is based on all rounds and I use the other one when I enter competitions. I get a tougher deal when I enter competitions, but I'm happy enough with that.

[DaveP043]

2 hours ago, Valleygolfer said:

Speed limits are merely a suggestion... but you never speed, right @DaveP043?

I've never said I don't speed, but I do keep it within a reasonable few mph over, and haven't been ticketed for at least 20 years.  But I think many, perhaps most, of the posters on TST feel more strongly about following the RoG, and by extension the Handicap rules,  than they do about strictly obeying the speed limit.  

42 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

What I don't support is someone deciding what laws or rules should or shouldn't apply and then making excuses as to why they are "justified" in breaking such laws or rules and refusing to accept the punishment that comes with the violation.  

Posting solo rounds is no different than using a food wedge or mulligans according to the Rules of Golf, no matter how much justification is provided. 

This expresses my opinion much better than I have.  No matter whether you like a specific rule or not, it applies to you.  I have no problem with someone arguing that a rule is misguided or wrong, or even working actively to have it revised.  My problem comes when someone says they refuse to comply with the handicap rules, but still wants to have the resulting handicap respected just like those who DO follow the rules.  

2 minutes ago, Elmer said:

But would the USGA rather I sit at home and average my own solo rounds and maintain them separately from my group rounds,

I think that's exactly what the USGA would prefer you do with your solo rounds, the USGA does not want them entered into the handicap system that it manages for all of us..

[14ledo81]

29 minutes ago, Elmer said:

here is where I disagree with you. If I use a foot wedge to kick my ball out from under a tree or to improve my lie I am doing something to effect my score.
Playing a solo round and not being able to turn in the score effects the entire score by throwing it out as it says I am not trust worthy enough to turn in a score.

 

This may be true, but there is also potentially a certain portion of people that will cheat when playing alone.

I don't need a law that says it is illegal to steal, but some do.